Many Austinites have become used to construction on Interstate 35, and work is estimated to continue for at least another seven years.

In an effort to better prepare for upcoming lane closures and work zones, the Texas Department of Transportation, in conjunction with Texas A&M Transportation Institute, recently released a survey to Austin residents, the results of which will help the transportation agencies keep drivers well-informed about traffic changes.

“(The survey) is really to find out are you aware you were driving through a work zone, if so how were you aware you were driving through a work zone,” TxDOT Austin spokesperson Diann Hodges said. “It’s to help TxDOT better help drivers. If (drivers) didn’t know they were in the work zone, then we need to change the way we’re communicating. It just helps us better understand how drivers consume information.”

The survey covers several areas, starting with what section of I-35 the resident used last, the purpose of the trip and how often the driver traveled on I-35. The survey also fields questions about lane closures, such as how much advance notice is preferred, how long a delay must be before a driver considers alternate routes and what information regarding lane closures should be prioritized as most important.

There were also several questions about how TxDOT could best share work zone information.

Information on past, current and future construction projects on I-35 can be found at www.my35.org or at www.my35construction.org.